With the 2025-26 NHL Trade Deadline just a day away, we got some (kind of) expected news. A team we thought were sellers, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and a team we thought were buyers, the Colorado Avalanche, made a deal. Turns out the Avs will acquire depth centre Nicolas Roy from the Leafs. Going the other way is a pair of draft picks, a first and a fifth rounder. Both are conditional, and the first is in 2027, while the fifth is in 2026. Let’s figure out what this means.
TRADE: We’ve traded forward Nicolas Roy to the Colorado Avalanche
ℹ️ https://t.co/UnPCdVQCQ0 pic.twitter.com/LGdxxXuMgr
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 5, 2026
Leafs Trade Centre Nicolas Roy to the Colorado Avalanche
Nicolas Roy was only acquired by the Leafs in the early summer, as part of the package that saw Mitch Marner go to the Vegas Golden Knights. Roy was thought to be an excellent way of adding some depth and physicality, especially when it comes to the rigors of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. No doubt he does provide that, it is just the Leafs aren’t going to the postseason in 2025-26. Hence, they have shifted to be sellers.
Furthermore, this was made clear by the number of scratches in last night’s game versus the New Jersey Devils. Each of Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Scott Laughton, and Bobby McMann were sat out, in case they got moved. Roy did play, but today, it was announced he will be traded. This is a solid hockey trade for Toronto, given the assets they picked up in return.
What Are the Avs Getting
For Colorado, they just wanted to add some depth to their forward group. Other players, such as Nazem Kadri have been rumoured to go to Colorado, as they were known to be in search of a centre. Having their top-two centre spots filled with Nathan MacKinnon and Brock Nelson, they were looking for some depth behind them. Therefore, Roy will fit that role just perfectly.
Roy is a nine-year NHL veteran. He was part of the Stanley Cup winning team in Vegas from 2023. This year in Toronto, he had five goals, 15 assists, played 14:45 minutes a game, recorded 61 hits, all in 59 games. The 29-year-old Quebec native has one year remaining on his contract that sees him make $3 million.
Main Photo Credit: ick Osentoski-Imagn Images
